The Wolf of Dracula
by Arche De Katze
Summary: COMPLETE Just read...
1. A Replacement

A carriage, pulled by one black horse, slows to a stop in front of a large stone building. Even thought it is in the afternoon, the cloud cover makes it seem like dusk. A middle-aged man steps down from the drivers seat and ties the horse to a post near the entrance to the building. He hurries around to the carriage door and opens it, helping a teary eyed woman out. He comforts her as they slowly walk up the front steps of the Transylvania Orphanage.  
  
A middle-sized woman greets them solemnly, "Mr. and Mrs. Rhan, I'm very sorry about... the loss of your daughter Viviana."  
  
"Thank you Sorin. You've been so kind to us." Mr. Rhan replies.  
  
Sorin gives a brief smile then motions for them to fallow her down a hall. "You want a girl, correct?"  
  
"Yes." Mrs. Rhan says in her heavy Romanian accent.  
  
"May I ask for an age?" Sorin asks.  
  
"Fifteen."  
  
Sorin stops in front of a door, "Are you sure you want a child the same age as Viv..." "Yes." Mr. Rhan interrupts.  
  
"Very well." Sorin opens the door to a large room with around twenty or more teenagers. Beds are lined against one wall with shelves of books, blankets, clothes, and toys on the opposite wall. Most of the kids scattered about he room jump slightly at the sound of the door opening and look eagerly at the couple. "Children, we have visitors."  
  
"Hello." Several voices call out.  
  
Mrs. Rhan gives a teary smile and looks at Mr. Rhan. "Oh, Jerith."  
  
Mr. Rhan nods to his wife and she begins to walk around the room looking at all the children. Mr. Rhan's eyes move over the talking and playing children seeing that most of them are very nervous and jump at the slightest sound. He walks over to Sorin, "Why are they so afraid?"  
  
Sorin looks at the children and talks in a softer voice. "Dracula... his brides came here last week. To this very room. They killed three and carried a fourth off."  
  
Mr. Rhan's eyes fall upon a rather calm child his wife is talking to. Her clothing is different then the other children's peasant garments, having black cloth pants and a torn up black poets shirt, and her dark brown hair is stripped with blond strands. The odd teal color of her eyes is captivating yet eerie. "What about her?"  
  
Sorin looks at Mr. Rhan and then the child and her face softens at the sight. "Your wife Lina chooses well. The child, Adrian, she is a fortunate one, but a little different. We found her asleep in the barn with the horses the morning after the attack. She was soaked from head to toe with water but we had not had rain in days. She seemed calm but refused to tell us anything but her name and age. She is a little scratched up but friendly."  
  
Mrs. Rhan stands from her sitting position on the wooden floor, leaving the child to read, and walks to her husband. She smiles hopefully and Mr. Rhan beams a smile at his wife, then turns to Sorin, "Her."  
  
"You will need to wait till tomorrow I'm afraid. She needs to pack, and say goodbye, and there are forms to be filled out." Sorin walks them out of the room and the parents-to-be glance back at their future daughter. 


	2. Bedtime Story

That night, as Adrian packs her few possessions and the clothes the orphanage had given her into a bag, a little girl no more than seven dressed in peasant clothing walks over to her and tugs on her shirt. Adrian looks down, surprised at first then her expression softens. "Kathryn, you should be sleeping. It's late."  
  
"Why are you leaving?" The little girl asks sadly.  
  
Adrian sits her on the bed, "You know those two people who came by here today?" "I saw them leave."  
  
"The lady talked to me, and she told me that she wanted to take me home and be my mother, and I guess that is what is going to happen."  
  
"When are you coming back?" Kathryn asks tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Oh no don't cry, she thinks. "I don't know, but I'm sure it will be as soon as I can."  
  
Kathryn wipes away a single tear that streams down her cheek. "You never told me the rest of the story."  
  
"I didn't did I. Are you sure you want to hear the rest. Last time I had to stop because it was frightening you."  
  
"It won't scare my."  
  
Adrian smiles at the bravery, "Alright, get under the covers." Kathryn gives an eager squeal and dives under the blankets. Adrian tucks her in tightly and pulls a chair over to the side of the bed. "Now where did we leave off?"  
  
"The three monsters were flying at you."  
  
Adrian cringed inside but didn't let it show, "Ah, yes. How could I have forgotten. The three monsters flew at me screeching as they picked up speed. I spotted an old wooden shack and ran with all my might towards the door. The monster was so close I could feel its breath." 'Yeah, very sharp breath that sliced up my shoulder,' she thought, half laughing. "I bust through the door and backed far from it as the creature hit the open door way but was unable to get through because of the size of its wings. As it backed away to gather itself I realized that there was only one, the others had disappeared. I raced forward and slammed the door shut, locking it but knowing it would not hold for long. The monster threw itself at the door in an attempt to break it down, and it was succeeding. A clawed hand tore a hole in the hard wood door and I heard the monster practically laughing, knowing that I had no where to go." Kathryn gasped, clutching the blanket tightly, but seemed to be enjoying herself. "The hand reached for me but I stepped back and grabbed an ax hanging on the wall." The little girl's eyes widened. "I swung the blade of the ax down on the arm and the monster gave the most bone-chilling scream I had ever heard as it yanked its injured arm from the hole. Everything became very quite and I started walking to the door, wondering if I had frightened the monster away. As I reached for the lock to open it, the door was ripped from its hinges and thrown in at me, hitting me and throwing me back against the wall. It walked into the room, almost human, and laughed at me. I scrambled to my feet and grabbed the closest thing I could, a bucket of water." 'A pint of holy water in a glass bottle in my pocket, some bucket.' She thought to herself again. "I hurled the bucket at the monster and it hit the creature right in the face. It screamed in pain as the water burned the monster, making the skin smoke. It took flight and broke through the roof of the building heading to its castle in the mountains." Adrian paused looking at the child's face and all the expressions, Fear, happiness, surprise, wonder, and then just confusion.  
  
"What happened next?" Kathryn asks, sitting up in the bed now.  
  
The question took Adrian by surprise. She didn't know what happened next. 'I'll go with my first instinct.' "Well, the monster flies back to its castle in the mountains and rushes to join the other creatures. It joins them in a large stone room with their King. The monster tells the king of how it got its wounds and how I beat it. The king is furious and promises his creatures that he will find me and..." She stops seeing the scared face of the child. "That's all for tonight."  
  
"What?" Kathryn says stunned. "But I want to know the end. What does the King do?" "I don't know." A bad feeling in Adrian's stomach told her what she just said could have very well happened.  
  
"Awww." Kathryn whines.  
  
Adrian smirks at the child and tucks her in again. "Lay down and try to sleep." The girl closes her eyes and is quickly dreaming. Now without a bed, Adrian moves the chair over to the large window and gazes out at the starry sky, the ending she made up to the story buzzing around in her brain. "Oh well." She whispers to herself, "What are the chances of that being right?" She closes her eyes and yawns, "I made it that part up, it was a lie, it didn't happen." She falls asleep telling herself it didn't happen, but it did. 


	3. The True Story

Aleera, Verona, and Marishka, having eaten their fill and carrying a young boy for Dracula, fly from the orphanage window into the night laughing about the job they had done. Aleera hears shouting below them and looks down to see a girl yelling at them, "Hey you! Put the boy down you bitch!" She hurls something hard up at them and Aleera catches a glimmer of what it is and dives out of its way. A silver knife plants itself into Verona's stomach. She hands the child to Aleera and pulls the knife out, dropping it to the ground in disgust. She scans the ground below and spots the child yelling at them.  
  
Verona looks to her sisters and speaks to them, "Take the boy to the Master as a first course," she looks back a the girl, "I will bring a dessert." With that they all let out a screech and Verona dives toward the earth, claws out stretched, ready to grasp the girl by the shoulders. Adrian turns quickly at the sight of the approaching vampire. She runs as fast as her legs can carry her, dodging between trees and keeping just enough room between her and the demon so it can't reach out and grab her. Adrian scans the area for cover and stumbles as she spots a small barn and feels sharp claws dig into the flesh and muscle of her shoulder. Since the claws were not able to grasp around bone, a hard twist and pull yanks the flesh from Verona's clawed hand. Adrian flings herself at the half open door and falls onto the cool ground of the barn. Looking back at the open door way she stumbles as far from the door as possible seeing the demon flying at her. She shuts her eyes to prepare for a hit but instead hears a crash. Peeking at the doorway she half laughs at the site of the demon stuck in the doorway unable to get free do to its large wings. Taking advantage of the situation, Adrian grabs an ax off the wall and approaches the struggling creature. Verona lashes out her arm only for it to be met with the dull blade of the ax. A blood-curdling scream unlike any Adrian had ever heard fills the air and she lets the ax fall again, missing the neck and hitting the wing, breaking it. The temporarily mangled wing allows her to move easily from the doorway and inspect herself as the wounds heal.  
  
"Shit." Adrian whispers to herself as the fully healed vampire walks into the barn, her form changing back to human.  
  
"Aww, poor child. Are you afraid?" Verona asks, a wicked smile on her face.  
  
Adrian's brain begins to function again and she matches her foe's smirk, "No, but you should be." With that Adrian flings a large glass bottle of holy water at Verona, having it shatter on her perfect face, hearing it sizzle. When the creature is preoccupied, Adrian lifts the ax and brings it crashing down into Verona's shoulder, lodging it there. Verona screams in agony, and lifts a nearby trough of water (for the horses) flinging it at Adrian trapping her under it.  
  
Verona changes quickly back to her demon form and breaks through the roof, wailing into the night, "Master! Master!"  
  
Adrian pulls herself weakly out from under the empty troth and does her best to move it back to where it was. Weak from the fight, she crawls into an empty stall and curls up into a hay pail.  
  
Arriving at the castle, Verona changes to human form and pries the ax from her shoulder. She races to Dracula's thrown room and flings open the doors dropping the ax and sobbing like a child. "Master, master!"  
  
Dracula is instantly at her side trying sooth her, "Shh, hush now. Tell me what happened."  
  
"A child. I tried to bring you another child. She attacked me off guard when we tried to bring you the boy and tried to kill me." She felt a bit of embarrassment telling her Lord that a child defeated her and could tell he was a bit confused himself. She pulled back the arm of her gown showing the slowly healing wound made by holly water and a blade on her shoulder.  
  
The look in Dracula's eyes grew cold and Verona whimpered and stepped back. "Who did this?" He demanded.  
  
Aleera speaks carefully, "We don't know, my Lord. She is new here."  
  
"Where is she now!" Dracula shouted, his brides huddling together in fear.  
  
"The orphanage." Verona squeaks.  
  
Dracula looks to the window and sees that it is almost morning. He sighs and opens his arms to his brides. They coo softly and hurry to him. He comforts them and speaks gently, "Don't worry my loves, I will find her." 


	4. Home sweet Home

Mr. and Mrs. Rhan open the door to their little home fallowed closely by their new daughter Adrian Rhan. "Welcome to your new home." Mrs. Rhan tells her daughter, giving her a small hug.  
  
Adrian looks around the house. The kitchen and living room were the same thing with a rather large brick fireplace taking up most of an entire wall. There was a door leading into another room and a ladder beside the door, closest to the fireplace leading up to a square door in the ceiling with a little black handle on it. Mr. Rhan smiles proudly and leads Adrian to the ladder, scaling it first and pushing the door open. Standing over the entrance he takes Adrian's bag and helps her up.  
  
"This is your new room." He states. The room is warm compared to the outside temperature and there is a small bed set up against the bricks that lead up from the fireplace. A stool is set up beside the only window, which makes up for being the only one by its size, which is about the size of the entrance way to he room. The last thing in the room is a bookcase, which appears to be too large to have fit through the entrance. Despite the small size of the room, Adrian is happy of the fact that the room is not crowded with more things then needed. Mr. Rhan walks back to the ladder and adds one last comment. "There is a rule we stress around our town. Please, do not go out past nightfall. We have that rule for our safety and..." he trails off and takes a breath, "We do not want you harmed." With that he leaves her new room, shutting the door behind him.  
  
Adrian stays planted in the middle of the room, letting her eyes wander. As quietly as she can she walks over every inch of the floor, taking note of every creaky floorboard in the room, then moves from the bed, avoiding the two loose boards in her path, to the window and sits on the stool, gazing out at the bright sky. "Tonight is a waxing last quarter." She whispers to herself looking at a spot in the cloudy sky, where the moon would be at night. Adrian allows a faint smile to appear on her face. This wasn't a fake smile, like what she used upon first meeting Sorin or the Rhans' or when telling fudged truths to little Kathryn. No this was real, like when Kathryn would sneak out of her room at night to keep her company. The moon had been special to her ever since she was dumped at Transylvania. It seemed to speak with her, urge her to walk into its light outside and play. Touching the glass lightly with her fingertips, movement from below caught her eye. Not very far off was a barn, bigger than the little shack of a barn she hid in but still small compared to the size of the land it sat on. A fence, which held what looked like many cows and a few horses, surrounded the land. Then the movement again. Her eyes darted to the spot near the barn and landed on four medium sized dogs. 'Werewolves?' she thought to herself, but the moon and time of day dragged her back to reality showing that it had to be family pets.  
  
"Adrian?" a voice said from the top of the ladder. She hurried over and opened it, allowing Mrs. Rhan inside.  
  
'How polite,' Adrian thinks to herself, 'that she did not just barge in.'  
  
"Time for dinner Adrian. Please come down stairs and join us."  
  
'Well, I might as well try to be as kind as I can.' She thinks to herself. "Yes, ma-ma. I'll be right down." At the word ma-ma tears appear in her "mother's" eyes and she closes the door behind her. Only for Adrian to hear her shedding happy tears below in the main room.  
  
That night during dinner, Adrian put on her most convincing smile and listened to her new parents explain the rules, most of it being about how dangerous the night was and to not talk to strangers. Inside, Adrian was annoyed. Her parents had almost no trust in her at all and were talking to her like she was five. She sat at the table neatly; nodding every so often and only begins to pay attention when Mr. Rhan announced, "Now to the animals." Adrian sat up straight and listened intently. "We make a living off our cows. We sell their milk and their meat. They have to be milked every four to five days. Do you know how to milk?" He asks.  
  
The true answer was no, but she was sure she would have time to learn before they discovered that. "I have milked cows before."  
  
"Ah, good. We also have horses, three of them." Mrs. Rhan nudges her husband giving a smile. Mr. Rhan gives an assuring nod and turns back to Adrian, "Pardon me. We now have four horses. We bought a young one for you as soon as we left the orphanage after meeting you. She is old enough to ride but is not yet trained. I have seen her run though and she is the fastest I have seen in a while." Adrian's eyes light up with joy and she feels as though she could jump from her seat and hug him but restrains herself for the time being. "We also have four dogs. They are very important to us. They watch the livestock and the house and warn us of any danger." He takes a deep breath and sighs, "Now for your chores. Since you appear to like animals, you shall be in charge of them. You will milk and feed the cows, tend to the horses, and feed the dogs."  
  
Adrian was perfectly fine with the idea and said so, so as not to get off on the wrong foot, "Yes sir." Glancing outside at the fading light of the sky she turns back to her parents, "Papa, may I go out to the barn while it is still light out? I would like to see the animals and my horse." She wasn't use to talking like this but had to force it so as not to be considered odd.  
  
Mr. Rhan glances at the open window and smiles softly at Adrian. "You should hurry. Go straight to the barn and pay no mind to the dogs, they enjoy children. Your horse is the one with..." Adrian was already at the door but still looking at her father. "Yours is easy to pick out. I think you'll find her." 


	5. Close Call

Adrian was very glad her plan had worked. At first glance threw the windows even she had sworn she still had some daylight, but the fact that the clouds were parting and windows pointed west gave it the look that it was still bright. She walked slowly down the dirt path to the gate, eyes closed, smiling for no real reason at all, and breathing in the night air. She opened her eyes lazily and gazed skyward and saw it in all its glory, the moon. Her feet had unknowingly stopped moving and she sat on the path just admiring the orange almost whole orb hanging in the sky. Looking over into the fenced in field, she realized she was not alone. The horse was laying upright and looking up at the moon just as she was. It was a glorious animal, a jet-black coat reflecting the moonlight like liquid. Adrian could tell now what Mr. Rhan meant by how she would know it was hers. The coat my have been black but its mane and tail were pearl white. She stood up and moved towards the fence, but not at the gate. Climbing the fence, the horse looked over and stared at her watching every move Adrian took towards her. As soon as the horse shifted, Adrian stopped walking and just sat, watching the moon. After the sun had completely set, Adrian stood and began to walk to the barn, leaving the horse to bask in the moonlight. As she reached the barn door she heard a growl behind her. She relaxed and let out a sigh of annoyance. Turning around, she was met with two angry dogs snarling and baring their teeth. Adrian looked hard at the dog and whispered coldly, "I live here now so don't bother me." The dogs let out a single growl then turned and walked towards the herd of cows.  
  
Stepping into the darkened barn, she stops for a moment to let her eyes adjust then moves from stall to stall, looking at all the horses and a single cow. When she came to an open stall and saw that the wooden bucket had most of the oats eaten from it recently, she assumed it was her horse. Kneeling down and lifting up a leg of her cloth pants she reveals a piece of leather tied tightly around her leg holding a leather sheath. She removes a sharp curved knife from its sheath and stands, closing the stall door. Holding it tightly, she carves a name into the hard wood with the black blade of the knife. Halfway threw, she feels eyes on her back and aims the blade of the knife inconspicuously so as to reflect anything that may be standing there. Seeing nothing she continues her work, still feeling something behind her. Finishing her carving she takes a step backwards and admires her work. The name 'Jetta' carved neatly into the door of the stall. She smiles, but it is a fake smile. She feels the eyes close then a shifting movement directly behind her. Keeping calm is easy for Adrian when she does not know what it is. She leans forward blowing lightly on the carving and wiping away little pieces of wood shavings. She feels it shift again and finger tips on her back. 'It's playing with me. It wants me to look behind me.' She thinks, still staying calm and keeping her breathing steady. She stands up straight and looks out at the window beside her at the moon. Leaning against the wood gazing out, she feels it moving behind her, very close now just out of sight. A breath. She inhales as a reflex as it hits her neck and regrets it. The thing chuckles lightly and she breaths in a claming breath, taking with it a scent of the thing beside her. 'Ok, this is fine. You have been in tighter spots.' She tells herself. 'If you don't make a move now it will kill you. Breath... in... out... one... in... out... two...' she feels a strong hand on her back. 'No time for breathing! Have to start running if you want to keep breathing.' Her foot pushes against the wall, pushing her past the hand and what ever it belonged to, and hurtles her at the exit. Bursting outside, she follows the moonlight to the gate, hearing large wings behind her. A dark shadow throws itself over her and swoops down for her. Hearing what is coming, she comes to a sudden stop and turns, knife in hand, facing the creature. It's bigger than she expected but hopes her plan will still work but she knows she has to be faster than she has ever been. The beast reaches out for her as predicted and at the perfect moment she reaches out her left hand and grabs his right, pulling him at her hard, throwing off his balance. As he tries to wrap his arms around her, she shoves her knife into his heart and pulls down, attempting to cut open its chest. It screams and throws her backwards at the gate a little too hard having her miss the gate and land on the other side. She pushes herself off the ground, only to cringe in pain at a deep cut on the palm of her hand. She stands and races the house hearing him lift off the ground and into the air after her. She reaches the porch and stops, knowing that the thing is chasing her but takes a moment to gather herself. Then opens the door only to be faced with her father holding a rather large cross. He pulls her into the house.  
  
"Are you alright?" he stammers, "We thought the worst. We heard a scream, and it was dark out."  
  
She decided to stop him. "Father, its alright, the scream was me." She shows her deeply cut hand, which her mother grabs ferociously and pulls her to a bucket of water.  
  
"Who did this to you?" Mr. Rhan demands angrily.  
  
She lets out a soft laugh, "It is nothing to worry about. I did it. I was a little too clumsy when in the dark barn and caught my hand on a nail."  
  
"Why on earth did you stay out when it was that dark?" Mrs. Rhan asks, pouring some cool water onto the cut.  
  
"I was admiring my horse and trying to think up a name."  
  
Her mother's expression softens, "Did you think of one?"  
  
"I did." Adrian smiles, "Jetta"  
  
Mr. Rhan gives a curious smile, "That's a rather odd name for a horse."  
  
Mrs. Rhan ties a bandage around Adrian's hand and looks to Mr. Rhan, "It is her horse," She turns to Adrian and gives her another hug, "and I think it's a wonderful name."  
  
"Time for bed Adrian." Mr. Rhan says softly placing a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Goodnight Mother. Goodnight father." Adrian says then climbs the latter and closes the door behind her. She walks to the window, remembering all the loose boards and sits on the stool, staring out at the yard. She glares out and sees the large figure that had chased her back to the safety of the house like she was a coward. "I'm not a coward." She whispers to herself sadly. The figure walks around the grounds, taunting her, knowing that only her window pointed in his direction. The creature walks over to the house, within plain sight of her and holds up her knife as if to say, 'you want it? Come and get it.' She tears her eyes away from the window and walks to the bed saying to herself, "My mother gave me that knife." She curls up on her bed and closes her eyes. After a few seconds, she hears someone climbing the ladder and walking towards her bed. She feels someone plant a gentle kiss on her forehead then Mrs. Rhan's voice.  
  
"Goodnight Viviana. We love you." She leaves the room and Adrian hears their bedroom door close. Tears fall silently from her eyes and she holds her pillow tight laying her head on the bed. The tears fall lightly onto the bed, showing a side of Adrian that she keeps hidden from everyone, glad that no one would ever see her like this. Unknown to her someone was watching, in a shadowed corner of her room, someone watched it all. 


	6. Motherly

Adrian awoke first, two hours before sunrise. She was never one for sleep. Looking out the window at the moon she gives a small smile and then looks down at the ground. 'Nothing here.' she thinks with disappointment. Quietly climbing down the ladder and making her way to the door, she hated the thought of going outside without a weapon but she had to see if it had left her knife. Opening the door, she walks around the house several times without success. Turning onto the path to the gate, she sees someone standing with her horse, stroking its coat. She jumps the gate and walks over to them casually yet cautiously, always on her guard. Standing right behind the woman she speaks, "How did you get her to be so calm?" The woman turns to face Adrian. She is a beautiful young woman, looking no more then twenty-five wearing a lovely white dress, a few strands of her blond curly hair hang over her shoulders.  
  
Marishka looks at the child before her and gives her a soft smile. This was the girl who had defeated her second oldest sister? It could not be true. "I have been around horses for a very long time."  
  
"It could not be that long." She states, showing how young the woman looks and being as kind as possible.  
  
"You are a very polite child. What is your name?"  
  
"I am Adrian. And you?"  
  
"My name is Marishka. Adrian, your parents must be very proud having raised such a kind daughter." Marishka knew she would hit a nerve with that one and saw it clearly on her face. "Oh. Dear. I'm sorry. Are you an orphan?"  
  
Adrian gathered herself, "No, No. Was. I was an orphan. I was adopted yesterday." "Congratulations. I am very happy for you."  
  
Adrian gives a sarcastic smirk, "That makes one of us."  
  
Marishka tilts her head slightly, seeming concerned, "You are not glad you have a loving family?"  
  
Adrian sighs, "They may seem carrying but it's not true." Why was she opening up so much to this stranger?  
  
That is almost what Marishka was thinking 'Why have I not killed this child and taken her body to my Love?' "How are they so deceiving?"  
  
Adrian approaches the horse and they both pet it while talking. "They greet me with gifts and smiling faces but that means nothing when wish you were someone else." She half laughs, "They don't even trust me."  
  
"How is it possible for parents to wish their only child was someone else?"  
  
"They had a child before they got me. Their last daughter was named Viviana. She was killed, nobody will tell me how but they asked specifically for another daughter the same age as their last. They gave me her old room and even call me Viviana when they believe I am asleep." She feels tears but forces them back, refusing to sob in front of a stranger.  
  
Marishka sees the pain in her eyes and forces herself to change the subject. "You asked about the horse as if it were dangerous."  
  
Adrian gives a happy/relieved smile and nods looking at Jetta. "I haven't been this close to her since now and last night I was out here to meet her and she seemed very skittish."  
  
Marishka pats the horses back. "What have you decided to call her?"  
  
"Jetta." Adrian answers, running her fingers through the horse's mane.  
  
"A beautiful name for a beautiful horse." She nudges Adrian closer to the horse. "Go on, you should get closer to the horse, rub her head." Adrian reaches out her hand and Jetta leans out in an attempt to nibble her shirt making Adrian jump back some. "Now now, she is just hungry." She bends down and grabs some hay, handing it to Adrian. "Try feeding her. She will enjoy that." Reaching out to Jetta offering the hay, she reaches out with the other hand and pets the side of her head. She smiles as Jetta eagerly eats the hay and nudges her hand for more. Marishka smiles at the sight then realizes that the sun will rise soon and turns to leave.  
  
"Wait!" Adrian calls. "Where are you going?"  
  
"I need to get home, as you should before your parents wake up alone. If they think of you as just a replacement for their other daughter, they would be heart broken for you not to be in bed."  
  
"Will you be back tomorrow?" Adrian asks quickly.  
  
Marishka is surprised by the question but thinks for a moment. "When you are sure your parents fall asleep come our to the barn and I will be waiting." She is amazed when the child practically throws herself at her and hugs her. The thought of this mortal hugging her was disturbing at first but then she came to the thought. This child was hugging her, and she loved it. She felt... what was it? She turned away and walked off in to the woods where, far out of sight, she changed form and began her flight back to the castle. On the flight she placed the feeling. She felt motherly.  
  
Adrian fed Jetta a little more hay before going inside. Once comfortably in her bed she heard the Rhan's beginning to move. She shut her eyes as the door opened and Mr. Rhan stepped in and moved to the bed where he kneeled down and whispered, "Good morning my dear Viviana." Then left. 


	7. A Ride in the Woods

Her parents were quieter then had been only giving her a smile now and then, which she politely returned. Mr. Rhan had left at sunrise for the market and wasn't expected back till sunset. For early morning, the sky was dark with thick clouds as usual but she paid it no mind. Adrian spent most of the morning hurrying through feeding the animals and cleaning the stalls then turned all her attention to teaching herself how to milk a cow. She had watched the children at the orphanage do it many times, and it looked relatively easy, but looks could be deceiving. It took around ten minutes for Adrian to herd a cow over to where she had placed a stool and bucket then another thirty minuets trying to keep it still until she resorted to tying the animal to the barn. After practicing on two cows, Adrian brings the buckets to the house and leaves them on the bricks inside the kitchen. She wanders back out to the barn after finishing her housework and finds it getting dark. She spots her father and he smiles at her, telling her not to stay out too long. She frowns and asks if she can stay out late. She pleads and begs until her father breaks and says yes and that they will save her dinner. Adrian opens the gate and scans the area for Jetta. She spies her grazing near the woods and calmly walks over to the horse. Adrian runs a hand along the horses back and Jetta replies by lifting her head from the grass and pushing her nose against Adrian's hand. She scratches Jetta's forehead and smiles, "Father said you are a fast horse, but will you let me ride you?" She leads the horse back to the barn and ties her to the barn. She walks into the barn and returns carrying a rather light saddle. She coaxes the horse and places the saddle lightly on Jetta's back. The animal shifts some under the weight but not as much as Adrian expected. She gently pets the horse's neck to calm her and attempts to put the bit in. Jetta jerks away from her refusing the bit rapidity. Adrian gives up and tosses the bit and reigns away, instantly making the horse calm. "So your not going to take the bit are you?" she asks the horse in frustration. She unfastens the saddle and takes it off then leads the house out to the field. "Would you rather be like this? No saddle? No reigns? Fine, I can do that!" she puts both hands on the horse and jumps onto her back, making Jetta run full speed forward. Adrian closes her eyes tightly and clasps her hands around the horse's neck to keep from falling of as she runs into the dark woods. Adrian opens her eyes and runs a nervous hand down Jetta's neck over and over again, trying desperately to calm the animal. "Jetta." She whispers into the running horse's ear, "Jetta, its ok. Its ok." The horse slows down and stops upon reaching the fence marking the end of the property. She cautiously releases her hold on the horse's neck and looks up through the trees at the dark sky. The sun was gone completely, leaving woods dark and the path gone. She was lost. "Perfect." Adrian whispers into the night, "You had to keep running, didn't you Jetta?"  
  
"Do not blame the horse for something that is clearly your fault." A voice says from the shadows.  
  
"Who's out there?" She calls, and then remembers she was unarmed.  
  
A figure steps out from a shadow making her jump slightly seeing him so close with out having heard any steps. It was a rare miss for her. He appeared to be in his thirties with his pure black hair pulled back into a ponytail. He wore all black and a black cape followed behind him. The black he wore brought out the paleness of his skin, and his eyes...they were so easy to get lost in, almost hypnotizing. He apparently saw her jump and smiled, "Did I frighten you, child?"  
  
His voice was like velvet and it made her melt inside. She refused to show the weakness she felt. "No, I'm not frightened and I am not a child." He laughed at this and approached the horse, which shifted slightly. He offered his hand up to Adrian to help her off the horse. She was hesitant about taking his hand and leaving Jetta. If anything was to happen, only Jetta knew how to get out of the woods. She looked at the nervous horse then at the man. 'Please don't leave me Jetta.' Adrian thinks to herself, and then reaches out to take his hand. Before she could grasp his hand both of his hands had grasped her around the waist and he had lifted her completely off the horse. It was a longer drop down then she thought, but the man was extremely strong and gently lowered her to the ground. Once he let go of her, she backed over to Jetta and put a hand on her, wanting her to stay close.  
  
The man's smile was soft and comforting, yet strange, "If you refuse to have me call you child, then may I have your name?"  
  
"I am Adrian."  
  
His expression grew to one of confusion, "Adrian? How odd, I thought that the young girl who lived her was named Viviana."  
  
"She was. She died a few days ago."  
  
"Ah. I am sorry." The smile was back, "How did she die?"  
  
He asked it so calmly. She had never heard anyone ask about death that way, other than her. "I do not know."  
  
"Yes." He said disappointed. "But then, who truly enjoys talking about a loved ones passing?"  
  
"I didn't know her."  
  
His eyes shine, "So you are an orphan."  
  
The way he said orphan made Adrian shutter, "I have parents now." She said, a trace of anger in her voice.  
  
"Yes you do, but you can not honestly call them your parents. Your family." He spat 'family' like it was a dirty word.  
  
"They took me in, fed me, gave me a bed. It is only polite to call them my family." She had unknowingly moved away from Jetta, who was still standing in the same place. The man had begun to circle her and she was reminded of how predators circle their prey before killing it.  
  
"Tell me, how did your parents die?" He asked it so calmly, as if asking for the time of day.  
  
She was beginning to get angry, "I would rather not tell you." She smirked, "But then, who truly enjoys talking about a loved ones passing." She could tell instantly that he was mad. No, it wasn't madness. Anger didn't even begin to cover it. He glared at her, making her back up against Jetta once again.  
  
In an instant, his expression changed again and he was smiling. "Forgive me, I have forgotten my manners. I am Dracula." He gives a slight bow.  
  
Adrian gets uneasy, where had she heard that name before?  
  
Dracula gives her an amused smile, "You have not heard of me?" He laughs, but this was a darker laugh and it sent a shiver up Adrian's spine. "Perhaps I should remind you." Adrian stares in confusion at Dracula as he removes something from his inside pocket and holds it up for her to see. The color drains from Adrian's face as her eyes fall upon her knife. 'But he took my knife' she thinks over and over again. She looks up at Dracula and quickly turns, flipping herself up onto her horse and looks at Dracula, who is now standing in front of them. She stares at him hard and Jetta backs up as her approaches, holding her knife at his side.  
  
He speaks soft yet serious, "Do you want it back?"  
  
Adrian wants to answer but stops herself.  
  
"I know you do. I can feel it. I can hear your heart beat getting faster."  
  
Adrian tries to calm down but fails.  
  
Dracula places a hand on the horses neck and stares up at Adrian with his cold eyes, "Do you want it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
A smile crosses his face; "I will give it to you if you come with me."  
  
"No." she meant it to be soft and calm but it escaped as a yell.  
  
The knife dropped back into his pocket as the hand on the horse moved down its neck and onto Adrian's knee. She shivered, how can his touch, like his eyes, change so quickly from warm to cold. She was staring into those beautiful eyes and felt so relaxed, so warm. "I'll tell you a secret. I killed Viviana." It hit her like a fist. She knew what he was doing and kicked the horse with all her strength causing Jetta to pull forward. They raced through the woods turning every so often to avoid a tree. Adrian hears a screech behind her and turns to see Dracula in his vampire form flying at them and catching up quickly. She kicks Jetta again and they pick up speed, seeing the edge of the woods ahead. As they break through the last line of trees into the very back of the field Dracula flies at Adrian from her side, knocking her off Jetta and onto the ground. Adrian hits the ground on her side and rolls. She stumbles to get up but a pain in her side prevents her from getting far. She hears footsteps but keeps her face to the ground still attempting to get to her feet. She stops moving and just lays still on the ground refusing to look at Dracula. She breathes hard and feels Dracula lower to his knees beside her. His soft hands grip around her arms and pull her onto her back to face him. Adrian lashes out at him and tries desperately to get out of his hands. He holds her wrists with one hand and forces her to look into his eyes with the other. She stares helplessly into his dark eyes and begins to get very tired, then every thing gets dark. 


	8. A Lost Battle

Adrian's eyes flutter open but everything is dark. She is laying comfortably on her back, her head on a soft feather pillow and what feels like many think blankets under her and a thin one covering her up to her torso. The air around her is warm and humid and she inhales deeply through her mouth. A stab of pain in her side brings back frightening memories of last night. She had passed out. How could she have allowed herself to do that with that... thing hovering over her? Adrian laid very still in her little bed, not wanting to be seen if there was someone standing in the darkness, then it hit her. She panicked and her breath quickened. She wasn't in a bed in the darkness; she was in a large coffin, Dracula's coffin. A sound of worry escaped her as she stared into the darkness easily lifting her hands up towards the top of the coffin. Feeling the stone lid, she softly pushed, despite the pain in her side, without the top budging. She moved to the closest side feeling the cold stone against her bare arm and realized than, with the exception of a bandage around her middle, she was nude. Adrian pulled the light blanket around her and sat up as much as she could, and pressed with all her strength at the lid, but it stayed put. Her mind raced. Had he made her like him? Had he had trapped her and left her to die? If either of those was the case, she would make it hell for him. She moved to the other side of the coffin and searched for any visible seals that would let air in, and sound out. She found one, but it was at a too awkward position to look through. Taking a deep breath of the humid air she lets out an ear-piercing scream as loud as she could make it. She stops after a few seconds and holds her hands over her ears to stop the ringing due to the echo of the stone tomb. She took another breath and covered her ears and screamed out, "DRACULA! DRACULA WHEN I GET OUT OF HER I AM GOING TO KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!"  
  
"Aw, poor baby. Are you frightened now?" A female voice called from beside the coffin. Adrian knew the voice. The monster from the orphanage was taunting her. Adrian was filled with an intense hate and began to whisper, watching the seal for a shadow or sign that the vampire was close. She got her wish and saw a faint shadow as the vampire knelt beside the seal of the coffin. Adrian got at close to the seal as possible and let out another scattering scream. The vampire let out a scream of surprise and pain as she held her ears and fell away from the coffin. Adrian stopped and listened until she felt the coffin shift suddenly, making her slam into a stonewall of the coffin. The coffin shifted again the other way slamming Adrian into the other wall. The vampire continued shaking the coffin, as Adrian struggled to brace herself with blankets and the pillow but they suddenly seemed not as soft as they once more.  
  
A strong voice filled the room, "Verona!"  
  
The power of his voice sent a shiver up her spine and the shaking stopped, it was Dracula.  
  
Verona's voice, "Master. You said you would kill her. You promised she would die."  
  
"Do not dare call me a fake!"  
  
"Never Master."  
  
"Leave us."  
  
There was the shutting of a door and then soft footsteps around the coffin. Adrian gathers herself to try and seem calmer and speaks. "Dracula. I'm going to kill you when I get out of here, I swear."  
  
"Now now, why are you so angry?" He sits on the top of the coffin.  
  
"You hunt me, steal my knife, hurt me, put me in a locked coffin, and promise someone that you will kill me. And you ask me why I am angry." She gives a sort of half laugh.  
  
"I also didn't harm you the first time and offered you your knife on the condition you come here with me." His voice lowered, "And how do you know you are not dead now?" Adrian's hands flew to her neck, searching for any bites and found none. She checked her pulse and found her heart beating fast, given such a fright.  
  
"Let me out Dracula." She says in a dangerous voice.  
  
"Did you not say that if I let you out, you would attempt to kill me?"  
  
"I will kill you."  
  
"Then why should I let you out? I could leave you in here and be bothered only by your constant screams when Verona comes in to visit you." He leans down to the seal of the coffin, "What makes you believe you can even kill me? No one can."  
  
"I can and will kill you, you fucking blood sucker."  
  
The top swings open to a pissed off Dracula and before Adrian can move, he in the large stone coffin with her, the lid closed, in the darkness. Adrian holds the blanket around her and attacks him blindly. He easily catches her wrists and she resorts to kicking out at him. He holds her wrists tight to the point of cutting off circulation and pushes her against one wall. "That is enough." His voice silences her and stops her frantic kicking. He releases her numb wrists and she huddles against the wall, attempting to get as far from him as she can. Her frightened eyes search the darkness, unable to see him even in such a cramped space. A cold, strong hand comes to rest on her bandaged side. She jumps, only held by that hand which begins to feel very warm and comforting. She shakes the thought from her mind and buries her frightened face from his sight, unwilling to let him see tears and believe he had won. But he had won, and she knew it. The hand on her side moves slowly and delicately following the bandage around to her back and he is suddenly next to her, whispering in her ear. "You should not be on your side, you have yet to recover from your injuries." She keeps silent, not trusting her voice. His hand wraps around her back and pulls her to him, easing her onto her back her head resting on his chest like a pillow. She didn't like this at all. Her vulnerable neck was facing him and one of his arms was draped over her stomach on top of the bandage. He had too much control. His other hand rests gently on her forehead, "Calm yourself young one. I can hear your heart. It's beating so fast."  
  
"What do you expect? I'm trapped in a coffin with a leech, naked." There was a quite laugh from him and she turned to where she though his head would be. "Do you find this amusing?"  
  
"I find this humorous, yes." The hand on her forehead moved to her cheek and moved her head to face him directly.  
  
"Do you always torture your enemies like this?"  
  
His voice grew soft, almost soothing, "No, you are receiving special attention."  
  
Adrian laid her head back down how it was and closed her eyes, wondering what her parents had thought happened. She curled up next to Dracula and wished to be back with them, they were not perfect but they had lost their last daughter this way. That made her eyes open wide. Dracula had killed their last daughter and he admitted it to her and now she was just getting comfortable. That wasn't like her at all. She took her head from his chest and attempted to move away from him, but his arm held her in place.  
  
She struggled to move but he held her fast and spoke to her. "Do not fight me Orphan. You can not win against me." His voice didn't have the kindness it held before.  
  
"Do not call me Orphan."  
  
"I will call you what ever I care to. An orphan is all you are now."  
  
Adrian pretended to try to move again but instead elbowed Dracula in the chest. He released his grip just enough for her to move away to the other side of the coffin. His arm shot out, gripped around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She felt his breath on her neck and panicked, pulling and scratching at him until she no longer had energy. Dracula pinned her against the wall, and forced her to look into the darkness, supposedly where his eyes would be, as if she could see in the dark.  
  
"I told you not to fight me, human." His voice was cold and made her want to cower, but she looked hard into the darkness, "That you could not win. You did not listen. Now look what you have brought upon yourself." She attempted to move but he pulled her back hard. His warm breath was on her neck again. His voice lowers and becomes soft again, yet loses none of its potency. "You taunt me like this orphan," He nuzzles her neck. "And the time I have spent here with you has prevented me from going out for my hunt."  
  
Adrian, still worn out from her struggling, moves slightly, getting her neck away from his gentle nuzzling. "I wont let you."  
  
"I will make this easy for you. I am very hungry and you are the closest food source here. I would have no problem drinking from you, killing you, or even making you a vampire. I might even have a little fun while doing it." He pulls her over to him again, the only thing separating her naked body from him being the light blanket. "But, there is a way you could avoid that." Adrian looks up in the direction his voice came from, his arms holding her close. "You could prevent all that pain just by begging me not to do it."  
  
Her eyes grew almost as cold as his, "I will not beg to something like you."  
  
"Perhaps you will change your mind later." He held her tighter against him and moved her hair away from the soft skin of her neck. His tongue ran slowly over her skin and he whispers in her ear, "This is how I torture my enemies." In a quick movement, his fangs bury themselves in her neck and she lets out a stifled scream. She feels his teeth digging deeper and realizes that he isn't drinking any of the blood; he is just trying to cause her as much pain as he can. His teeth tighten and he shakes his head, like a dog tearing apart a toy.  
  
The pain is just too severe and she reaches out blindly and grabs hold of his black shirt. "Please, please make it stop. Please stop." Tears of pain and defeat stream down her face as the shaking stops and the teeth remove themselves from her flesh. She feels warm liquid run down her neck and she sobs as a hand unwraps from around her and carefully runs two fingers over the backs of her fists, which are still clenched around the soft fabric of his shirt. She looks up at him and his eyes seem to glow in the dark, they look so kind, so inviting, so comforting. She quickly wraps her arms around him in a frightened hug and buries her head in his shirt. Dracula smiles and moves so as to keep Adrian comfortable and have comfortable access to her bleeding neck. She rests her head on his chest and feels him pull her up towards his head. There is a brief moment of pain as he brings back the heavy blood flow and then just the warmth of his tongue on her flesh, lapping up the blood. 


	9. Meeting Igor and Missing Marishka

The next night she awakens in the coffin once again and is alone. The panic returns in a wave and she pushes hard on the top of the coffin and it pushes off. Adrian holds it before it can bang on the floor and sets it down softly. She checks her pulse to assure herself she is still alive and walks around what looks like a bedroom, the blanket wrapped tightly around her and trailing on the ground behind her like a gown. Three torches in random areas around the room dimly lighted the large room. There was a very big window in one wall complete with heavy black curtains that would be able to block out every trace of sunlight, but that wasn't a problem now. The sun had just set no more then an hour ago and the full moon was still blocked by clouds and the tips of trees. She turned to finish her sweep of the room and walked over to the bed. The bed frame was made from beautiful wood and the blankets were a dark red color and stuffed with bird down. The pillows were stuffed as well and were covered by midnight black silk. She sat on the comfortable bed and looked at the wall the bed faced and saw the stone coffin. Adrian stood up quickly and backed away from the bed. This was Dracula's bedroom. She felt the full moon beginning to break through the clouds and she raced forward and closed the black curtains. She wanders the room opening all the drawers and cupboards, finding her pants and shirt. She quickly gets dressed and continues her exploration of the room. Finally, Adrian finds what she was wanting and pulls a rather large knife out from a cupboard. She holds it in her hands for a moment, getting a feel for it, then quickly puts it in the coffin under the layers of blankets. As she walks back to the bed, the door quickly swings open, letting in a small, odd-looking man with a hump on his side. He snickers seeing her out of the coffin and speaks, "You're suppose to stay in your coffin until Master returns from hunting with his brides."  
  
Adrian raises an eyebrow at his disfigurement, "And who, or should I say what, are you?"  
  
The thing scowls at her but stays in the doorway, "I am Igor, I stay here with my master."  
  
"Igor? This is Castle Frankenstein?" She asks surprised and slightly frightened  
  
"It is. Now back into your coffin." Igor makes a shooing motion with his hand.  
  
"I am not dead! You can't keep me in a coffin!" She shouts, glaring coldly at him.  
  
"If you refuse to get in the coffin," he states coolly "then we can always chain you to the wall of the dungeon. Dr. Frankenstein has been working down there and has some experiments to test."  
  
Adrian would have made some smart remark but knew pretty well that Igor wasn't kidding. Enough stories had gone around about the things Frankenstein had done and she didn't want to learn what was real and what wasn't. Instead, she sat on the bed and glared at the creature Igor. Igor just rolled his eyes and mumbled, "What is wrong with people, normal threats just don't work on them anymore." He reached outside the door and came back with a large gun in his hands that continually spat sparks. He walked, or more of hobbled, toward her the gun pointed at her, until she had backed up to the headboard. The gun hit her leg, sending a minor shot of electricity into her body. She screamed and backed up off the bed and he followed. She wanted to pounce on him, rip his arms and legs off, but with her unarmed and him with a gun, she would have to wait, but the night was still young. She reluctantly climbed into the coffin and barley got her head down before Igor slammed the coffin shut. She huddled against a wall making sure to cover the side of blankets that hid the knife for easy access when she needed it.  
  
She sat and waited for another hour or so before she became restless and started screaming and banging her fists on the stone. At one point, Igor came in and threatened her with the gun if she didn't shut up. It worked for about a minuet until she got bored and couldn't think of anything better to do but Igor didn't come back. A sudden voice made her jump and stop yelling, she hadn't heard anyone enter the room, "Must you constantly yell like that? If we are lucky you will throw your voice. Or I could make everyone happy and just rip out your voice box."  
  
Adrian just kept calm, concentrating on keeping her heartbeat slow. "Why don't you leave me be, Dracula?"  
  
"Would you prefer me to leave you in the coffin?"  
  
She banged on the lid of the coffin, "Let me out! I'm going to die if I don't get food! Or is that why you are keeping me in here and having your little deformed pet watching the coffin."  
  
The lid opened swiftly and Dracula looked down at her smiling, "I see you found your clothes. And is there anything else you found?"  
  
"Igor interrupted my search. Rather rudely if I may add." She stated glancing at her bruised leg.  
  
"I shall talk with him." He holds a hand out to her, which she refuses but stands anyways and steps out. He walks over to a door and opens it revealing a well-kept, yet unused, bathroom. "You may wash up here."  
  
Adrian walks into the bathroom and looks back to still see Dracula. "You can leave."  
  
"Verona has been watching the door eagerly waiting to visit you, and you want me to leave?"  
  
"Despite the danger. Yes, I do. I can take care of it."  
  
"Very well. You have beaten her before." He turns and before closing the door states, "I will return with food."  
  
He walks out of the room into the massive hall and pauses in mid step. "Verona, come with me."  
  
Verona crawls on the ceiling out of the shadows and allows herself to fall to her feet beside Dracula's side. "Master, I..."  
  
He broke in, "Where is my dear Marishka? I have yet to see her since I brought the orphan."  
  
"Master, she went for a hunt that night and has yet to return."  
  
His eyes narrowed and he turned and glared at her, his voice practically hissing, "You and Aleera find her. Now!" With that last word Verona scurries off and Dracula continues down the hall. 


	10. A Meal and Some Blood

Dracula returned to the room with a silver plate of food to see Adrian standing in front of a large mirror, a towel wrapped around her. Unaware of his presence, she brushed her brown hair every now and then twirling a strand of light blond in her fingers. He places the plate on the bed beside her clothes and looks at her, clearing his throat to get her attention. She jumps and drops the brush, letting it fall to the ground with a bang. She looks at him evilly, holding the towel around her, "What the hell do you think your doing!"  
  
"I brought you food. It is what you asked isn't it?" He asks innocently.  
  
"It is but you should have the decency to knock first!"  
  
"Why should I knock? It is my room, after all."  
  
She walks over to the bed and grabs her clothes. She glares at him, "Will you leave so I may get dressed?"  
  
He puts on an expressionless face, still rooted to the spot.  
  
"Ah, yes, the 'your room' thing. Would, at least, you be a gentleman and turn around?"  
  
He gives her a smile that warms her inside, "That I will do." He turns and faces the other wall.  
  
She turns her back to him and dresses quickly, knowing he is probably watching her in the mirror. She lets out a sigh and wraps her arms around her soft familiar clothes and turns at the exact moment Dracula does. They stare in silence for a moment until Adrian breaks her gaze from his dark eyes and sits on the edge of the bed beside the plate. She gazes at the food longingly, feeling starved and weak.  
  
"Please eat. Help yourself to the food, I have no use for it." He speaks so casually. Adrian looks up and sees him approaching her. She looks back to the food. Cut up apples, and warm bread that appears to be thinly spread with honey.  
  
She stares at him spaciously, "Why are you acting this way, like you care about my health? A few moments ago you didn't seem to care if I live or die, now this." She motions to the plate.  
  
He sits on the other side of the plate, "I still don't care if you die or not. You are a guest in my castle and until you do something wrong," there was a hint of threat in his voice, "you will be fed. But if you wish I can take the food back." He places a hand on the plate in an attempt to pull it away from her but her hand quickly reaches out and holds tight to the edge of the plate. Dracula smiles and releases his grip on the plate, letting her have it. Adrian sets the plate on her lap and reaches for the bread when Dracula interrupts, "Into your coffin."  
  
Adrian nearly drops the plate in disbelief, "WHAT!"  
  
"You have showed me that I have been overly generous with you. It is not fair to my other prisoners."  
  
"No! I will not return to that god awful sarcophagus again!"  
  
"Then perhaps I could chain you to a wall in the dungeon and assign Igor to your feeding."  
  
She gets an idea and stands holding the plate. She faces him, spits at his feet, and then walks to the coffin, him following her as planned. She knees at the outside of the coffin, placing the plate in and feels him lean over her. She moves fast, grabbing the handle of the large knife and plunging it into Dracula's non-beating heart so that the blade tip is showing itself through his back. She lets go and he stumbles backward giving the look that he is hurt and raises his hands to his chest. Adrian stays in her spot watching with fascination that reminded her of the way young Kathryn listened to her story. Dracula let out a sigh then, with one hand, removed the blade from his own chest as if unsheathing it.  
  
He looked the bloodstained blade over in admiration. "I thought you were more intelligent in knowing how to kill a vampire. Steel and sliver do not harm us. Normally a person uses wooden stakes, crosses, holy water, and even fire and sunlight. But yet none of those can harm me, just normal vampires." He waves the large knife in front of her eyes, "That was a bad and desperate move for you." He tosses the knife to the side. And pulls something from his pocket. "I'm guessing you would have been better with this though." He grabs her by the neck and throws her across the room. Knocking the air out of her when she hits the stone floor. He lifts her again by the arm and tossing her on to the bed on her back. He puts a knee on either side of her and pulls her hair away from her face showing her the gleam of the knife he stole from her. "Yes, it is much more compact and much sharper than the one you used on me." Dracula lowers the blade to the base of Adrian's neck. "Shall we test it?" He presses the knife against her throat, blood welling up slowly.  
  
Suddenly the door opens with a loud bang and a frightened voice cries out. "Master! Dracula! Please don't harm her!" 


	11. Dark Secrets

Dracula raised the knife quickly from Adrian's neck and turned his head to the door, letting out an evil hiss. Marishka, Dracula's youngest bride, ran from the doorway towards the bed and fell to her knees, her hands reaching out at his clothes in a pleading manner.  
  
Her voice shook as she spoke, as pitiful and sad as it could get, "Master! Please do not harm her any further." She was sobbing now as Dracula sat at the end of the bed, the wounded girl on the bed completely forgotten. "Please. I cannot bare to see her hurt."  
  
Dracula shoved his bride back causing her to fall to the ground. She picked herself up and cowered as he stood. "You have killed and fed of countless mortals, taking pride in each one. You play games with them like a cat plays with a mouse. You slaughter children and bathe in their blood." He roughly grabs Adrian by the back of her shirt and heaves her to her feet. She stumbles dazed and barely conscious the cut on her neck slowly dripping blood that flows in a kind of stream down to her shirt collar. "What makes this one different? What makes you show pity upon this weak creature?"  
  
He lets go of Adrian and gives her a little shove sending her falling forward to her knees, her hands holding her up in a sort of kneeling position. She struggles to lift her head and looks up at the lady standing before her, "Ma...Marishka?" Adrian falls and Marishka is instantly there, cradling the limp body as if it were a baby.  
  
Dracula takes a step towards them and speaks softly to his bride, "What are you getting out of this my love?"  
  
She looks up at him then back to the child, her eyes full of love. "I get a child. A life I can care for."  
  
"And you chose a mortal? I have brought across many children, could you not just choose one of them?"  
  
"I want a child of my own, Dracula! One that has had no family and loves me in return with out knowing what I am."  
  
"What do you think she will think, now that she knows who you are?"  
  
"It will not matter to her!"  
  
"Marishka..."  
  
"I want a child! You can't give that to me!"  
  
That statement hit Dracula hard and he knelt beside his sorrowful bride. "My other brides have been through this before as well, but they have never brought a living child back from a hunt. First there was Aleera and I made a second bride, Verona, who was like a child for her to teach. Then Verona wished for a child, claiming that the children I made vampires were not the same. So I brought you, and they both were mothers to you." His eyes went to the passed-out Adrian. "This one will not work my love. Your sisters wish to see her in pain or dead and you refuse to have me make her one of us."  
  
"I want to see her grow." Adrian shifted and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Marishka and gave a sigh of relief but that quickly stopped when she realized that she was still in the castle with Dracula.  
  
Dracula locked eyes with the girl and with out looking at his bride spoke, "Leave us now Marishka."  
  
She carefully released the girl and stood, not wanting to question her master any further for fear of upsetting him. Taking one sorrowful look at Adrian, she closed the door behind her, leaving the two alone.  
  
Adrian watched the closed door, eyes wide with disbelief. "She is a vampire?"  
  
Dracula stood behind her, "She is one of my brides."  
  
She kept her eyes glued to the door, "No. No she isn't one of you. She came to save me. To take me away from you." She turned around and saw Dracula pulling back the curtains from the large window. Thick clouds were scattered across the night sky blocking out the shine of the stars.  
  
He turned back to face her. "If that were true, why did she leave you here?"  
  
"Because she was afraid. You hypnotized her. She would not just leave me here."  
  
He let out a tired sigh, picking up the large knife Adrian had used on him and returning it to the dresser where it was originally. She nervously rubbed the cut on her neck and eyeing her knife, which he had left on the bed. "You will not make it Orphan. You can try and I..." Adrian made a dash for the bed only to be grabbed by her wrist, only a few inches from the knife. "Admire the courage your showing" He finishes smugly his vice grip crushing her arm.  
  
A pale white glow slowly begins to fill the room. Adrian abruptly stops paying attention to the pain and Dracula and stares in horror as the huge full moon makes its way from behind a cloud into a patch of clear sky. She pulls against Dracula's grip reaching out with her free hand towards the window making wild futile grasps for the curtains. Dracula understands quickly and releases her as moonlight fills the room and he watches her in amusement.  
  
Adrian rushes forward at the window but it is too late. She shrieks in pain as the silver light flows over her like fire. She falls onto her back as her bones and muscles shift and grow. Her hands grab her shirt and skin ripping and tearing them, revealing dark brown fur with blond streaks that match her hair color. Completely in wolf form, her scream changes into a howl as she gets to her feet. Dracula watches her stand, staying very still, a serious look on his face.  
  
"So the orphan is also a wolf." He takes a step forward and Adrian jumps onto the wall climbing towards the window. She breaks though the glass and climbs down the side of the castle quickly. Dracula stands in the window frame watching her disappear into the forest. "This could be quite useful." He murmurs to himself them turns back into his room and walks out the door 


	12. The Wolf

Hey Guys, I wanted to post this very short chapter and dedicate it to my fan Dash, who has been complaining endlessly about the chapters being "Not long enough". Enjoy... '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' ''  
  
The wolf, Adrian, rushed at full speed through the darkness of the woods not pausing for a moment. Her senses were keener then they had ever been and she heard far off things that would have halted any mortal but this was not her way anymore and for that reason, she ran. She felt the mortal in her screaming to be let free and to leave the monster behind. Adrian knew this time was coming right after she was bitten by the large wolf at the end of the last full moon and had left her old life to find a new one and to search for a cure. Something was up ahead, she couldn't see it but she could smell it. A lust set in and she was hunting. Coming to a fence, she kept to her stride and in a fluid motion leapt over it and charged at her startled prey. Her razor claws dug into the dirt and brought her to a stop the mortal wanted so much more that it over through the wolf in her. Before her stood a beautiful horse, A coat pitch black and white mane and tail. The clouds took their place over the moon and Adrian slowly returned to mortal form. "Jetta?" Adrian asked quietly, not necessarily expecting a response from the animal. She stared at the sky, not having noticed when she shed her furry skin. She took a gentle hold on the horse and slowly led it out of the woods and to the barn. She brushed the horse slowly, gave it new oats, hay, and water then closed the wooden door, taking a long look at where she had carved the name JETTA into the wood frame of the door. She smiled and gave the horse a pat on the head before leaving the barn. Taking a deep breath of the night air, she stairs at the Rhan's house in the distance. She started a steady walk, her mind racing, worried about what she would say to her parents about where she was. Whether or not they would ever let her out of the house again. She hears light footsteps beside her that swiftly move to her side.  
  
"Adrian, loosing you like this... It would be a burden to hard to bear."  
  
"I am sorry Marishka. I want to stay with you but I cannot. Dracula insists on his control over me. He hurts me and has tasted my blood! He threatens my life and my health, and now that he knows what I am and I know what I am, he will not be as kind as he has been. If you could call that kindness."  
  
Marishka opens the gate for Adrian then closes it as they continue their walk. "My master is kind if you allow him to be. He seems to be rather fond of you." her voice changes to one of excitement, "He may even make you a bride."  
  
"I am a werewolf. I highly doubt I am his taste, so to speak."  
  
"What are you going back to by entering that house?" she motions to the house. "Foster parents who don't remember your name? What happens when the clouds clear? What if you are with them when that happens? Who would kill who faster? They want anything they consider evil to be killed. You can not hide what you are from them if they do not allow you to leave the house."  
  
Adrian stops walking. "Then what do you suggest I do? Return with you to the castle and be your master's slave for eternity? Sleep in his coffin whenever he wishes to torment me and have him drink from me like a tick. That is not the life I want to live from now on."  
  
"Then please come back with me. I will hide you in my room for as long as I can and even then, he has promised not to harm you."  
  
"Like his promise to Verona?"  
  
"My master is close. He knows you are here and you cannot fight him. If you come with me I can help you." Marishka pleads, holding Adrian's hand. A shrill screech sounds close by. And Marishka's eyes widen.  
  
Adrian gives her a slight smile, "Go back to the castle and wait. He will beat me but I'll give him a fight to remember."  
  
"That will only make him angrier."  
  
"Might as well see him furious now rather than later." They hug quickly and Marishka disappears into the darkness. The beat of large wings sounds behind her and she looks up, the moon reflecting in her eyes. Her form shifts painfully tearing off the flesh to show the werewolf's pelt. She turns as he hovers above her and lets out a howl of anger, lunging at him and digging her claws into his chest, forcing him to the ground. Dracula's hand wraps around the wolf's neck and held it away from him, the jaws of the werewolf snapping inches from his face. Using his hold on her neck, he tosses her backwards into the air. The wolf's helpless body hangs in the air for a split second before it begins it's descend to the ground. The moment seems to freeze as Adrian watches through wolf eyes as the thick clouds incase the moon. The wolf lets out a howl as ground rushes up to meet her. The howl becomes Adrian's frightened gasp as she hits the earth. Dracula returns to his human form and smiles up at the sky, which is nothing but thunderheads, leaving no trace of star, moon, or sky. He walks over to her and cocks his head at the limp human at his feet then kneels beside her. Adrian lay on her side, unconscious and her breathing shallow. Her slow heartbeat sounded like a drum to him drawing him closer to her. He shoves her shoulder lightly having her fall onto her back then gathers her in his arms. Dracula stands holding her close to his chest, feeling the warmth of her skin and inhaling the scent of her blood.  
  
"You were daring tonight Orphan, but that wasn't enough. We will decide your...Punishment, when we arrive at my home." Dracula places a soft kiss on Adrian's forehead then shifts to his vampire form with her in his arms, and carries her off to Castle Dracula.  
  
'' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' And the moral of the chapter is. Don't complain to me about the length of the chapters I write, it will only give me ways to annoy you. 


	13. Liar Liar

Adrian wakes, curled in a little ball, on cold, damp-feeling stone, every muscle in her body throbbing in pain. She manages to open her eyes only to have to wait for them to adjust to the darkness. Four dirty stonewalls with clumps of green moss in the cracks surround her, and there is a bar door leading out to a hall on the other side of the room. She feels weight around her wrists and hears the jingle of chains against stone as she attempts to move. Wrapping her fingers around one chain she heaves herself into a sitting position and follows the chain to a spot on the wall where it is securely attached. Adrian lets out a tired sigh and she leans her aching back against the cool stone, closing her eyes to rest. Something brushes past her causing her eyes to fly open. She looks to her side and seeing no one scans the darkness of the room she is chained to. Something passes by her again and instinct forces her to stand but she stumbles to her knees as every muscle and joint reject the sudden movement.  
  
"I'm glade you think you still have the strength to fight." A voice says suddenly. Adrian turns and looks at a corner of the room to see the outline of Dracula standing on the ceiling. She makes another shaky attempt to stand and succeeds by leaning against the wall. He laughs, "It does not seem like your body agrees with your mind."  
  
Adrian slides back to the floor and tries to act normally. She looks at her chained wrists and pulls at them until they hold fast. Messing with one of her shackles, she looks back at Dracula, "I know I fought well but are these really necessary?"  
  
He began walking toward her, still on the ceiling. "Its only until I can assure that you are not going to attack me again."  
  
"Ah, yes. How did the cuts heal?" she asks smugly.  
  
He jumps to the ground in front of her and unbuttons his shirt, showing perfect skin. "I think they are doing better then yours." He keeps his shirt open and sits on the ground facing her. "So tell me. Was that your first change? I'm guessing it was, for when I tasted your blood it convinced even me that you were mortal."  
  
She pulls her gaze away from his pale chest and looks into his emotionless eyes, "Sorry that you're loosing you touch. Yea it was my first change, but I was avoiding it pretty well until you ruined it." She looks at her hands in confusion. "Why aren't I furry now?"  
  
"The rain clouds have taken care of that."  
  
She gives him an evil look, "It can't rain forever."  
  
Dracula stands and begins buttoning his shirt, "Correct. Out there in town, it cannot rain all of the time. But, we are no longer at the good Dr. Frankenstein's castle, we are at mine and here there are always clouds covering the sky."  
  
He takes a step back as Adrian lunges at him, held back by the chains. "Damn you! You fuckin' coward!" She breathes heavily and tries to talk little calmer. "Tell me, why is a vampire who considers himself so high and mighty keep a new werewolf chained in his basement?"  
  
Dracula pushes backwards hard with one hand and watches as her back hits the wall and she dizzily sits down. He turns away and opens the door, "I'll be back in around two days. Try not to chew your own hand off." He shuts the door behind himself and Adrian is left listening to the echo of his footsteps down the hall.  
  
For the first few hours, Adrian rubs her hurting joints and relaxes, taking deep breaths and staying still until she was pretty sure she could stand and walk on her own. Then for a few more hours she paced the floor as far as she could reach and walked in circles around her cage. As her feet began to hurt, she lay on her stomach and plucked at the moss and examined her chains and shackles closer. The chains both met the same spot on the wall where they were seemingly welded to a thick piece of metal that was looped like a U and buried deep in the stone. Adrian found out rather painfully that it was impossible to pull the metal from the wall with her hands because of it being made of strong silver and yanking on the chains did nothing. Each shackle had a small keyhole where the chain met the steel, but her clothes had been ripped again when she shape-shifted and anything that she was carrying was now gone. She sat very quiet for a long time trying to think of any way of escaping. A faint sound came to her ears. Someone was coming. It wasn't a vampire because it made to much noise and it wasn't Igor because it walked normal. Then she heard humming, it was a servant coming down the hall. She needed to use this to her advantage what could she say? Adrian stood up and walked as far towards the door as she could. Then when the servant was close she called out in her sweetest voice, "Is someone there?"  
  
The footsteps stopped for a moment then very slowly walked into view. It was an older woman, possibly in her 40s and looked very jumpy. "Are you a new prisoner?" she asked carefully, "The Master didn't tell me that you were here."  
  
This might just work out after all. She thought back to what Marishka had talked to her about before Dracula came. "My Master doesn't know I am down here." She forced tears to form in her eyes and looked down. "I am to be his next bride but Verona locked me in here hoping that our Master wouldn't find me. I've been down here for days."  
  
The servant was buying it. "Poor Mistress. I can go and inform the Master for you."  
  
"Oh no please. If you do that, then Verona will kill you. I am not as cold as she is and cannot see that happen."  
  
"Then what would you like me to do?"  
  
"Where is Marishka? Is it possible to tell her with out Verona knowing?"  
  
"Marishka is still at castle Frankenstein and I am not permitted to leave this castle."  
  
Adrian sinks to the floor and begins to sob, hoping to belief and pity from the woman. "My Master must be worried about me. What if he thinks I have left him and is angry with me?"  
  
"I can help you Mistress." The servant says, and then Adrian hears the door open. She continues crying so as not to ruin the act. She puts a hand on Adrian's shoulder sympathetically. Adrian looks up at the servant as she removes a key from her pocket and bends down, unlocking the shackles.  
  
Adrian stands slowly and looks at the woman, feeling a little sorry for her when Dracula would find out about this. "I'm still afraid if my Master is mad at me. Has he seemed angry to you?"  
  
"No Mistress, although he hides his emotions well." They walk out of the cell together.  
  
Adrian thanked the servant saying, "I promise you that Verona will not know how I was freed from the cell she put me in." The servant smiled and she turned to leave but Adrian reached out and touched her shoulder. "I know this may sound odd but how do I leave the basement? I have only been in castle Frankenstein and his bedroom in this castle."  
  
The servant looked at her confused and Adrian hoped she hadn't blown it. "Walk down the hall then take a right. Up the stairs then left through the doors. To get to his room, just walk down the corridor and the third hall on your right. Up the flight of stairs and it's the last door at the end of the hallway. He should be in his room now unless he is at castle Frankenstein. Please be careful of Verona."  
  
"Thank you." they both turned and went their different ways. 


	14. In The Name Of God, Open This Door

Another short chapter. Oh well  
  
Following the servant's directions, Adrian got lost several times before finding the stairs. The silence was thick through out the main hall but Adrian's mind was set on finding the way out. She crossed the dark and empty room, hearing her footsteps echo with every step no matter how quiet she tried to walk.  
  
"Adrian" The dark seductive voice echoes in her head. "Adrian? Where are you going?"  
  
Her breathing stops as she backs against the wall. Footsteps start nearby, but they weren't normal the thing making the noise was limping. With the curiosity of a puppy, she cautiously moves behind a pillar and peaks her head out.  
  
Igor looks at her, his electric gun in hand, and yells out at her. "Alright girl, come out. I know your there."  
  
Adrian steps into sight of him, her eyes calm yet piercing, not like before. "I thought you told me that you lived at Castle Dracula with your master, Dr Frankenstein. What brings you here?"  
  
He lets out an evil snicker. "I told you I was staying there with my master. My master is Dracula."  
  
"But you work for Frankenstein."  
  
"Not anymore. My Master had important business to attend to and asked me to keep and eye on you. Now, where should we put you? The coffin or the dungeon?"  
  
Adrian turns her back casually on him, continuing her way. "How about you go on your way and just say that I beat you until you couldn't stop me from leaving."  
  
"No no no. You see I cannot do that. My master will see right through that tale."  
  
Adrian turns impatiently. "Why does everyone call this guy master?!? He isn't all-powerful like he thinks he is! I'm not going anywhere with you and if he can tell your lying, well that's your own problem. Now run along, you're wasting my time."  
  
A small blast of electricity hits her in the arm and Igor walks towards her, waving his gun. "You should learn when to stop talking."  
  
Adrian walks at him quickly and dodges another blast by jumping onto the wall and coming down beside him. She wraps one arm around his neck and holds the hand with the gun tightly, twisting it so the gun falls to the floor. She begins choking him. "Now if you live though this, you tell the fanged one that I beat you until you couldn't stop me from leaving." She drops the half unconscious Igor to the floor and walks back to the wall, finding the huge door and pushing with all her might to open it. Putting one foot outside, she found it snowing and her ripped clothes would be a problem.  
  
A whimper and shuffling made her turn around and see Igor. He struggles for breath then gasps out, "you should have killed me." Adrian runs at him but the hall booms with his cry, "VERONA! ALEERA! THE GIRL IS ESCAPING!"  
  
Adrian turns and bolts out the door, barefooted, into the snow. The frozen ground numbs her feet as she runs from the castle toward the one place that looked like an opening. The pain is quickly ignored as the cry of the two vampires sounds through the wind. Adrian reaches the spot only to discover a brick wall, it was odd to her seeing this one brick area and everything else being mountain and rock.  
  
The dark voice continued to talk to her and haunt her, "Adrian, come back to me..."  
  
The shape was a perfect square, just like a large door. The vampires were nearing and Adrian banged her fists on the stone and screamed, "In the name of God! Open this door!" The brick vanished and Adrian fell through, the bricks sealing back behind her. 


	15. Meeting Anna and Velkan

"Are you ok?" a young voice beside her asks.  
  
Adrian was on her hands and knees on the floor, surprised and confused about what had just happened. The brightly lit room hurt her eyes but the warmth made it worthwhile. The sound in her right ear made her jump and turn. Her eyes adjusted and finally showed a young girl, around ten, with wavy, dark brown hair. Her skin was pale but not as pale as what she had seen before, human pale. Adrian had to take a few deep shaky breaths before speaking to the girl, "Where am I?"  
  
A blanket is suddenly around her and a 14 year old boy comes into view from behind her, "Your at our house. We were coming down the hall and heard a bang and found you here." He sits next to his sister. "I'm Velkan and this is my sister Anna. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Adrian."  
  
Anna gave her a concerned look, "What happened to you?"  
  
Adrian pulled the blanket tighter around herself, "I don't know. I think I was attacked but I'm not sure anymore."  
  
Velkan helps Adrian to her feet, "How can you not be sure you were attacked then end up here?"  
  
"I don't know." Adrian turns, "I should leave."  
  
Anna rushes forward, "You can't go out there!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Her voice hushes, "Its dark. The vampires are out hunting."  
  
"You know about vampires?" Adrian asks, not very surprised but wanting to seem that way.  
  
Anna stands tall, "Our family fights them."  
  
Velkan puts a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Its our family's duty to kill Dracula. We have been hunting him for centuries."  
  
"Well, I do appreciate the concern but I have to find my parents."  
  
Anna placed herself in front of Adrian. "Please, can't you at least wait till tomorrow morning?"  
  
"I'm one of those people who sleeps all day, work all night."  
  
"Like a vampire?" Anna asks.  
  
Adrian gets a serious look, "I'm not like a vampire."  
  
Velkan interrupts, "Sorry, Anna didn't mean anything insulting. If you cannot go in the morning, then please wait till tomorrow night when our father can escort you."  
  
"I don't want to be a burden on your family Velkan."  
  
"It is no burden."  
  
Anna beams a smile at Adrian, "You can stay in my room. Are you hungry?"  
  
"No thank you." A small lie, Adrian was starving. She hadn't eaten in days but now the thought of food, mixed with the fear she was feeling was making her sick.  
  
Anna grabs Adrian's hand and pulls her out of the room, "Come on! I want you to see my room." 


	16. Bloody Night

Sorry this chapter took so long. If you want me to keep writing, review. No Reviews = No New Chapter  
  
The night passed slowly for Adrian, constantly being talked to by the child whose room she was using. Eventually around 3 in the morning, Anna drifted off to sleep. Adrian stayed alert, sitting by the window and watching the thick blanket of clouds block all light of the moon and stars until the sun burst over the horizon and forced the clouds back giving way to a blue sky. Daylight was beautiful, but there wasn't nearly enough time to enjoy in, for at the first sound of maids shuffling around, Adrian had given way to her heavy eyelids and drifted off to dream, curled up beside the window.  
  
Adrian rose comfortably after a good day's sleep and let out a happy yawn. She glanced up out the window and caught sight of the orange-red sky. The soft patting of feet on the wood floor caused her to turn slowly and smile at little Anna who was watching her.  
  
"Do you always sleep like that?"  
  
Adrian sat up and rested her chin on her knees facing the girl, "Like what?"  
  
"You slept all day on the floor curled in a ball like the family cat. I've never seen anyone sleep that way."  
  
"I was exhausted from last night. I would have slept on the bed but I was sitting here watching the sky when I fell asleep."  
  
Anna helped Adrian to her feet and looked up at her concerned, "You still don't remember what happened?"  
  
Adrian smile fades and she speaks softly. "No, I don't," She lied.  
  
Anna once again pulls Adrian's arm forcing her to follow her to a set of clothes laid out on a chair. "The maid brought these up for you since your clothes look more like rags." She let out a small laugh.  
  
Adrian joined in the laughter and dressed into the clothes, which she discovered, were a tad to big, but she wasn't picky. "Thank you Anna, I'll be sure to return them as soon as I get home."  
  
Anna sighs and looks down at her feet, "My father is downstairs, he is ready to take you home. You will need to walk because most of the horses are off being ridden by soldiers and the rest are very tired from last night's and today's journey."  
  
"Its ok Anna, I don't mind walking. Actually I prefer it." Anna continues to frown and Adrian kneels down. "Anna, I promise I will come and visit you. I'll come by the town as often as I can."  
  
Anna looks up, eyes teary and sad, "Promise?"  
  
That look reminded Adrian of little Kathryn at the orphanage. "Promise."  
  
Anna once again grabs Adrian's arm and pulls her out of the room and out to the front door, stopping in front of a large, strong looking man, "Papa! Adrian's ready to go home now."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Adrian is it?" the man asks extending him hand to her.  
  
Adrian shakes his hand smiling "Yes sir. Thank you for allowing me to stay at your house last night."  
  
"Well, my children appear to be fond of you, so it was ok with me." He releases her hand then opens the door for her.  
  
"Adrian! Wait!" The call and loud, rushing footsteps made her turn in a flash to see Velkan running down the hall towards them. He stops and breathes heavily, "Adrian, I want you to take this." He hands out a silver cross on a horsehair necklace. "The cross will keep away vampires and the silver will keep away werewolves."  
  
Adrian's eyes stay on the slightly swaying piece of silver in unseen horror, and she reaches a cautious hand out lightly taking the horsehair string closest to the charm, not wanting anyone to be able to tell she was avoiding the metal. Ignoring the tingling in her hand she forces a smile, "Thank you Velkan, this is very thoughtful."  
  
Mr. Valerious reaches out and plucks the necklace from her grasp, "Here, allow me." He pulls the string over her head and lets the charm fall and hit the shirt, holding close to her chest. The pain shot threw her like a stab from a hot knife; she bites her bottom lip and tenses up but refuses the sounds of pain. "Perfect. Shall we go?"  
  
"Ok, I live with..."  
  
"The Rhans, I know. They have been everywhere looking for you." They walk out the door and into the dark, Velkan and Anna yelling their good byes.  
  
They walked in silence following an old road through a foggy field for several minuets, Mr. Valerious leading the way. Adrian had managed to slip the necklace off before it had a chance to set her flesh on fire, but not before burning a cross shape in her borrowed shirt, and wrapped it in layers of cloth before slipping it in her pocket. Adrian daydreamed as they walked, keeping her eyes to the ground and thinking of her lost past and her past that is still chasing her on its big bat wings. Mr. Valerious had stopped walking causing Adrian to run into him.  
  
Mr. Valerious gave a half laugh, "Forgive me, I should have told you I stopped."  
  
Adrian brushed herself off, "Why did we stop?"  
  
He suddenly became very serious and motioned for her to be quiet. Adrian got quiet and listened. Far off at the border between the forest and the valley, something was watching them. With her keen, wolf-brought hearing Adrian could hear the thing step on leaves yards away as it followed them from afar.  
  
Mr. Valerious began walking again, "Don't worry, whatever it is we would see it before it could reach us."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"So." He trailed off thinking of what to talk about, "Where do you come from?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, you are not from here."  
  
She smiles, "how could you tell?"  
  
"You do not have the accent."  
  
"I tried. I've been a lot of places."  
  
"But where are you from originally?"  
  
Adrian was silent. Would she lie? "I was born in Italy if that is what you mean but didn't stay long, at least not long enough to remember anything." It was the truth but the subject was troubling to her.  
  
There was another noise in the forest and Mr. Valerious drew his crossbow. "Damn vampires."  
  
Adrian jumped and hid herself behind Mr. Valerious. "How do you know it's a vampire?"  
  
They begin walking again, "It can not be a werewolf, there are clouds blocking the full moon tonight."  
  
Adrian gazed up at the cloudy sky. She had forgotten about the moon and the fact that the clouds were thinning. Lights were visible coming up over the horizon, she might just make it home. There was another noise it the forest and Mr. Valerious turns and aims the crossbow. An unbearable pain and hunger hit Adrian in the chest making her double over in pain. Every muscle in her body spasumed and grew. Her skin was getting tighter and tighter, she reached up and pulled at her shirt tearing it off but the suffocating didn't stop. She fell to the ground, tearing at her flesh until it split open showing thick fur. There was food nearby, she could smell it. The warm blood and flesh was close, the scent filled her nose. She could just taste it. Blood pouring into her mouth, bone cracking and breaking in her jaws, the tender muscle and organs popping and ripping as her razor teeth dig into the carcass. There was so much meat, it was too much, too much energy. The wind was suddenly whipping through her fur. Sounds she would have never paid attention to sounded in her ears like fireworks. The feeling was less now and her arms and legs ached as the muscles shrunk and her skin sagged. The feeling was so uncomfortable. She tore at her fur, pulling and clawing until it gave way and she ripped it off in sheets. Even her human form could smell the death on her. Adrian gazed at her surroundings. She was still in the field but now the houses were to the far left of her. She pulled what clothing she still had on around her and made her way toward the homes. 


	17. Giving Up

After wandering the deserted streets she found the road to the Rhan's farm. Climbing the two steps to the door, she heard voices coming from inside. Her parents were talking to someone.

Mrs. Rhan's voice sounded in the house, "Michael, you come here and sit down"

Michael? Who was Michael? Adrian sits down under the window and listens to them talk.

Mr. Rhan cut in, "Yes, sit down. Listen to us, it is very important that you come inside before it gets dark. There will be no playing outside after dark."

Mrs. Rhan was talking quickly now, almost frightened. "We will lock all the doors. All the doors, and the windows. They all will be locked."

"There is nothing to worry about." He was talking soft now.

"Don't tell him there is nothing to worry about!"

"There is nothing to worry about."

"There is something to worry about!"

"ok..." He attempts to sooth her.

"Listen to me, this is very important!"

He starts talking, cutting Mrs. Rhan off. "When there are chores to do, you finish them before it gets dark. I don't want to see you out in the darkness...."

The talking faded away as Adrian moved out from under the window and stood, leaning against the house. Her new family adopted another kid to take her place after only a few days. She walked down the path jumping the fence into the field. The dogs were the first to greet her, running at her then yipping and growling nervously before they went on their way. Stepping into the barn, there was a shift of horses kicking at their stall doors and snorting as she passed. One stall at the end of the hall was strangely quiet. Adrian looked down into the stall to find Jetta lying down, head down, nibbling on some pieces of hay. Adrian smiles down at the horse, "Hey Jetta."

The animal looks up from its midnight snack and quickly stands at the sight of once lost friend. Jetta brings her nose to Adrian's hand and nuzzles it, pushing it playfully back. Adrian picks up a handful of hay and offers it Jetta who gratefully takes it. Adrian reaches down with her free hand to pull open the door then realizes that her "parents" had made some modifications to the lock. In addition to the latch, the door was tied shut with

rope and completed with a lock that appeared so bulky it was a clear exaggeration.

"You're a prisoner too, huh?"

Jetta snorts, apparently disgusted with the new locks. Adrian finds the key to the heavy lock and takes a hatchet to the ropes. She looks at the door where she had proudly carved the name JETTA upon meeting her horse and to her disappointment the name Jetta was no longer there. In its place was the word JET and below that was 'Welcome home Michael. Meet your horse.'

Adrian was sad and furious at the same time. She flung the stall door open, startling Jetta, and wrapped an arm around the horse's neck, leading her out. "No saddle." Adrian whispers to the horse before swinging herself onto the horses back. They went flying out of the barn, Adrian guiding her with a hand on the horse's neck and a heel in the ribs. Adrian knew where she and Jetta both wanted to go and gave one last hard kick, charging the fence. In a swift leap they were both out of that little pen and running wild in the world. Adrian held on to Jetta, knowing better then try to stop her or take control. Jetta turned suddenly and ran into the dark forest. The branches of dead trees hung threateningly low over their heads waiting for the moment when they could knock the rider from the horse. Every now and then a branch would whip across Adrian's bare flesh leaving a red welt behind which would fade a few moments later.

After almost and hour of running, Jetta slowed to a stop. Adrian had wrapped both her arms around Jetta's neck in an effort to stay on. She lifts her head out of the horse's mane and opens her eyes. They weren't in the forest anymore but the darkness still made her blind for a moment. There was an awful smell lingering in the area, as if there was a dead animal nearby. Calming Jetta, Adrian jumps to the ground and took only a few steps forward before her feet were in something cool and wet. Her eyes grow accustom to the darkness and at the smallest glance of what was before her she turns away and falls to her knees vomiting. Once there was nothing else to bring up, she braced herself and turned back to what was once a body. It looked like a giant ice cream scooper had removed everything, starting at the heart and ending at the hips leaving only the mangled spine visible. The face of the man was no longer there. In its place was a bowl of old dead blood. There were body parts and pieces of flesh missing. The warm blood was cooling under her legs as she sat, still on her knees.

"Not a bad job, although I would have enjoyed bringing about his death myself. If I had known you would rid me of the Valerious' I wouldn't have sent my brides to find you." His voice was cold and mocking but didn't faze Adrian, who was still in shock from the death.

"I did this?" She asked softly, confused.

There was only silence behind her.

It all finally sunk in as she quietly gasped out, "I did this..."

She sat quietly until Dracula's dark, seductive voice spoke from behind her, "Ride with me." Adrian shook her head no slowly, though inside she wanted him to hold her, for anyone to hold her and make all the bad things go away. But Dracula was a vampire, as was Marishka, they live off the pain and death of others. Adrian wasn't like that, she would never have peace with them. "Who do you have now orphan? The parents you spoke of have found another to replace you and the village will think of you as either murderer or dead. Also, I can not protect you from my brides with you out of my reach."

She turns her head to look at Dracula and sees him a top Jetta, watching her with emotionless eyes. She stands shakily, not really trusting her legs. Scanning his face, there was no trace of mind games to make her go to him but knew if she went with him, she would loose her freedom to him and he would use mind tricks when ever he felt like it. Dracula plucked Adrian off the ground, placing her in front of him on the horse. Untying his cape, he placed it over her shoulders, barely touching her and pulled it around her practically naked body. He kicked the horse and sent them galloping through the forest

towards the castle on the horizon.

The large doors open as Dracula walks dramatically through the corridors, Adrian in his arms. Screeching echoes through out the halls, signaling that the brides were coming. Dracula paid no mind as Aleera, Verona, and Marishka landed around him, mewing and reaching out at him as he walks. Verona grips Adrian by the ankle and traces a sharp nail over the spots where blood had crusted on her leg. Marishka steps between Adrian and Verona, causing an up roar of hisses.

"Silence!" Dracula booms, stooping the quarreling of his brides and having them step back up a wall whimpering, even the girl in his arms sunk down as if expecting a blow. He sets Adrian down beside him and speaks again, "No one is to harm the child as long as she is with me." He looks to Marishka, and almost as if commanded, she goes to him. He stands before her and speaks softly. "You begged for this orphan to be yours. She will age until the wolf makes her immortal one day."

The joy shone in Marishka's eyes as she flung her arms around his neck, kissing and nuzzling him. She turns to Adrian and kneels down, placing a kiss on her forehead. Adrian grips her hand, "Please take me with you." she whispers.

"Leave us." Dracula orders his brides and with out argument they leave. Adrian attempts to slip away while Dracula has his back turned but when she turns around to run, he appears in front of her. "Leaving again, Adrian?"

Adrian takes a step back, "I will not follow you to my doom."

In a quick motion he had flung her over his shoulder. "You don't have to follow." Adrian kicked and screamed as he carried her down the hall. Stopping at one door, it opens on its own revealing a dark room. There was no light and reminded her of looking into a cave, Dracula carries her into the room and the door closes behind them.


	18. A Solemn End

Since this story is almost over I decided to add a few comments. Don't worry this will only take a second. For that anonymous reviewer Tru, first of all its spelt werewolf. Second if you couldn't figure out that it was going to be about a werewolf from the title, "The _WOLF_ of Dracula" then your just too god damn stupid to read this story. Let this be a message for all the anonymous reviewers, I will delete your reviews if they don't make any sense. If you have a problem, you can kiss my ass because I have lots of people who love these stories.

For all of my fans, well, I had something really meaningful to say but I kind of forgot it. But the feeling is there. Enjoy the last chapter.

With Love,

Arche De Katze

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As the years pasted, Adrian became immortal at age twenty-two. On one of her hunts, at the age of twenty-six the clouds covered the sky and she decide against going back to the castle and continued to walk the streets. Adrian could feel that something was off and was certain when a scent caught her nose. She turned and ran into the forest. Peering out from behind a tree, she spots a young man being attacked by a new vampire. "Velkin?" she whispers to herself. The demon dives down at him as he attempts to load his crossbow. Adrian knew he wouldn't make it and makes a quick decision. Picking up a thick, pointed branch of a tree that had fallen to the ground, she waited until it was low enough and then jumped onto its back and impaled the makeshift stake through the creature's heart. Velkan stands and they look at each other. Adrian speaks first, "Velkin, your so much bigger now."

The color faded from his face. "Adrian?" She smiled, he remembered her.

"Velkan listen to me." She puts her hands up in defense, "Its not what you think."

"We thought you were dead. When we found my father's body we..." he stops and his eyes widen in shock and then becomes a glare of hate. "Did you kill him?" His voice is cold, not like the little boy Adrian remembered.

"Velkan, you have to understand." She makes the mistake of taking a step forward.

"Get back wolf!" He fires a silver tipped arrow that pierces her leg.

Adrian screams in pain and collapse. Her skin sizzles and smokes as she yanks the arrow out and tosses it away. "Do you really think I wanted to hurt him? That I have any control over the thing inside of me?"

"You won't have to worry that anymore." Adrian closes her eyes and prepares for the shot but when it never comes she opens her eyes to find him sitting beside her. "I cant kill you like this."

She relaxes, "I'm sorry Velkan, I'm really trying and I've accomplished a lot. I've become to rebellious and strong for Dracula's mind games. Now he has to use threats which he always keeps."

"He hurts you?"

Adrian nods solemnly, "I would give my life to see him die."

"My family is searching for ways to kill him. You stay with him?"

"Yes."

"Have you noticed any weak points? Anything of use?"

"I'm sorry. I've seen him melt crosses, pull stakes from his heart, and set bibles on fire."

"You could still help."

"I'll do everything I can Velkan, just to make up for what I did to you and Anna."

"There is a rumor that Dracula has a cure for werewolves. Have you seen it or heard it spoke of?"

"No, this is new to me. I should go. I will look around the castle for your information."

"Wait! I have more questions."

"I can't, Dracula will wonder where I am." With that Adrian stands and runs off, surprisingly fast.

Days later, Adrian hurries down the halls of castle Frankenstein following her master's call. The moon outside was hidden away by the clouds but the wolf in her was restless and urged her on, passing through the torch lit halls with greenish egg sacks hanging from the walls and ceiling. Looking at the balcony above her, she leaps up to it in one swift motion. Inside the laboratory she watches the deorgie loading an unconscious man onto the table. Dracula oversees them, his back to her, "I have an easy job for you Adrian." The man on the table starts to wake up and begins yelling and cursing at Dracula.

"You're going to try again aren't you?" she asks worriedly.

"Velkan and Anna Valerious have become quite a nuisance. A nuisance that I need to be rid of."

"I will not harm them." She blurts out. Dracula turns on her snarling but Adrian keeps still. "I know you have a cure. I know _why_ you have a cure. I want it."

"You know what can kill me. Yet, you do not have will to." He says matter-of-factly.

"I might not but I can go around biting everyone and telling them your weaknesses." A smile of triumph appears on her face and she crosses her arms over her chest.

"I have been kind to you, protected you, and given you somewhere to stay." There was a long pause where Adrian silently feared for her safety until his next words surprised her, "The least I could do for you is give your mortal life back, for a price."

"Name it." Adrian shouts pleadingly.

"Kill the last of the Valerious and I will cure you." The clouds part and Adrian falls to her knees, taking the shape of her inner beast. Dracula turns his back to her and watches the table rise to the top of the castle. "Go and remember our bargain!"

Velkan sits in front of the map of Transylvania, "Where are you Dracula?" he whispers to no one in particular.

"It's not on that map." Adrian sits on the floor behind him, clothes torn from the transformation.

"Adrian." He rushes to her and settles himself beside her. "Where is the castle?"

"Not right now. Velkan, Dracula sent me to kill you, you and Anna. I don't know how long I can fight. Listen to me, you must restrain me while I am a wolf and..." her eyes change and she let's out a painful growl, "and ask me when I'm less dangerous."

"Adrian?" He stands and backs up as her body begins changing forms.

"Velkan. If...if something goes w-wrong. Kill meeaAAH!" the last word changes as her mouth becomes a muzzle. Velkan doesn't wait for the change to finish and leaves the room, locking it. He runs to gather Anna and the hunters as the wolf climbs out the window into the forest to wait.

Velkan tightens his grip on the rope that holds his wrists to the pole. A noise close by in the trees pulls his attention to the patch of foliage. "Come on, Dracula unleashed you for a reason." A pair of yellow-orange eyes stare at him from behind a branch before the wolf leaps forward at him. Velkan flips himself onto the top of the pole and jumps to a rope hanging low overhead. A man in the forest starts pulling a lever, which pulls Velkan just out of reach of the wolf. The animal climbs the pole and begins jumping, stretching out to grab Velkan's leg. He panics and tries to get further up the rope. "Pull me up!" he cries.

"It's stuck!"

Anna steps out of the forest, sword drawn. The wolf shifts its attention to her and jumps down. "Cut the rope!" Velkan orders the men and a cage is yanked up out of a hole in the ground, trapping the wolf inside. There is an array of shooting as men leave their posts and pick up their shotguns and pistols. "Anna! Get my gun!"

Anna rushes around shoving men out of her way. "Find Velkan's gun! His is the one with the silver bullets." She spots the gun lying on the ground and runs for it as the cage falls. The wolf leaps out before she can grab the pistol and everyone scatters at the sight of the massive creature. Anna runs into the forest followed closely by the beast.

Velkan drops to the ground and picks up his gun, racing after his sister. He sees her standing on the edge of a cliff and runs at her knocking her out of hers way. "I'm sorry Adrian." He takes a shot at the animal as it hits him and they both fly over the edge.

Velkan's eyes open as he lies on the shore of the river.

"I bit you."

He looks to where the weak voice had come from and sees Adrian on her back, blood flowing steadily from a bullet hole in her chest. "Forgive me Adrian."

"I thank you Velkan. Listen to me... Castle Frankenstein... a werewolf is the only thing that can kill him... kill Dracula. You have to..." Her voice trails off as her eyes glaze over and her breathing stops.

He reaches over to her and gently closes her eyes. "Rest in peace." Velkan stands and rubs the wound on his shoulder before starting the walk to the castle.

The End

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I want to thank:

Zackery Faelan, Dash Conlon, Roxula's Bride, Jay De Torcawits(i miss you), Feedbackgirl, and every one else i forgot. sorry.


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